Contributed Photo/Courtesy SRP: The Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department’s fully electric fire truck is now in service.
Contributed Article/Courtesy SRP
GILBERT – SRP is proud to partner with the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department on its new electric fire truck.
The truck is the first of its kind in Arizona and among the first few electric fire trucks in the United States.
It has zero tailpipe emissions which makes for a cleaner, safer work environment for Gilbert Fire personnel. Plus, it’s quieter and has a more responsive and smoother acceleration than diesel-powered pumpers.
The Town of Gilbert received $30,000 from SRP for this project, which included a $20,000 rebate for the truck’s charging solution, in addition to $10,000 for the truck itself. SRP also oversaw the installation of the custom EV charger at Gilbert Fire Station No. 2.
“There are many potential hazards in this line of work. We will continue to seek innovations that help mitigate those hazards to improve the safety of our firefighters and enhance our service to the community,” said Gilbert Fire Chief Rob Duggan. “We are grateful for SRP’s continued partnership and assistance on this project.”
The new firetruck can deliver 1,500 gallons of water per minute and uses only 2% of the battery to empty the truck of water. The electric firetruck is also significantly quieter than typical diesel engines – this reduces the need for firefighters to wear hearing protection and allows for improved communication inside and outside the truck.
Other benefits include the ability to pre-cool the truck and reduced costs over time. Fueling the truck with electricity equates to significant savings on fuel as well as less maintenance.
SRP worked with Gilbert to install a fast-charging system that is suspended from the firehouse ceiling and can fully charge the truck in two hours. Charging from the ceiling helps ensure safety for the fire crews, with cleared space around the truck in the firehouse bay that is free of charging cables.
“It is thrilling to see fleet vehicles of this size going electric and SRP is proud to help make possible the first electric firetruck in Arizona,” said Billy Vaughan, Senior Product Manager of Product Development at SRP. “We commend Gilbert in taking this step, and SRP remains committed to supporting the enablement of electric vehicles of all kinds among our residential, municipal, and business customers.”
The new electric fire truck went into service on Oct. 27 at Gilbert Fire Station No. 2, the town’s busiest station.
Pierce Manufacturing Inc. built Gilbert’s new electric Volterra pumper. Pierce has also manufactured electric fire trucks for fire departments in Madison, Wisconsin, and Portland, OR.
Editor’s Note: The Mesa Council previously authorized $1.4 million for an all-electric fire truck. The Gilbert Fire truck is expected to cost $1 million, including roughly $270,000 for its electric vehicle fast charger to supply the power to the truck.
